


Aloy The Machine Whisperer

by AnubisWonderland (orphan_account)



Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-01
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-04-16 12:33:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14164947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/AnubisWonderland
Summary: After Aloy helps gets the damaged tallneck back on its feet, she never expected what was to come next.





	Aloy The Machine Whisperer

**Author's Note:**

> Been a while since I played the Frozen Wilds, but the part with the tallneck bugged me for so long, what with it needing some sort of story and months later here it is.

Aloy headed further out than she usually would, however something had come up to forward her journey. Yes, it had been quite dangerous, what with these new things called towers that controlled the machines, making them stronger and more powerful than Hades ever had.

"Easy now," Aloy soothed the machine, bringing it to a steady halt. 

The charger slid to a stop in the deep snow, Aloy now climbing down to crouch beside it as she took in the corrupted machines.

"Alright, not too hard considering what I've been through lately." She sighed to herself.

The charger shook it's head, giving off what she'd soon come to realise were warning sounds. Aloy pet the metal animal, hoping to ease it a little. 

"Stay here," she told it. 

The charger stomped a hoof, kicking up flakes of soft snow as Aloy staggered through the thickest part of it. 

"Just need to sneak up to the tower and...." She quickly dodged as a machine caught sight of her. "Not something I had planned, but I'll have to deal with it."

She rolled out of the way as the longleg threw itself at her. It now stood up straight, ready to give it's loud blast, Aloy ducked and covered her ears.

"I've had plenty of those, not fun." She grumbled as she rubbed her ear to try and clear it just as another machine jumped her from behind. 

Luckily or unluckily for her charger, it ran in to save her only to be stunned by the tower as it blasted out another shock wave, repairing those near and damaging those unaffected.

"I told you to stay put," she complained at the downed machine. 

The charger recovered only to be stunned once again, sparking here and there from damaged parts. Aloy ran at the longleg, ignoring her own mount for the time and drove her spear right into it. She pulled as hard as she could, stripping it of it's plates and the odd wires. The bird machine dropped, giving Aloy the chance to strike the head before the tower started up again.

"One down," she huffed, quickly countering the blow of a scrapper.

She spun her spear round to quickly override the tower. The machines would be easy pickings, if she could override it in time. The scrapper came back for another go, only to be kicked in the side by the charger. Aloy was quite grateful for her mount taking the worst for her.

"Okay, done." She now smiled as the tower was now overridden.

The machines as said, were easier now without the tower repairing them. Her charger however, looked to be on its last legs. Aloy trudged through the snow again to go repair the machine, taking out any damaged parts to replace with the ones of the fallen machines.

"Good as new," she beamed, petting the ram.

She pulled herself up and headed off, stopping suddenly at what looked to be a fallen tallneck. The massive machine looked to have been here for sometime, Aloy wondered if she'd actually get it up and going again. She slipped off the charger and climbed the icy walls in which the tallneck was buried under, upon reaching the head she started the override.

"Looks like some valuable parts are missing. I think I can get you up and walking again," she thought to herself as she pulled out her spear.

It hadn't been too much trouble hunting down the theives and killing them for the parts again. After installing the very last, she checked the tallneck's under belly to slip two wires back together, after which the tallneck started up again. Aloy knew this was going to be bad as she was on the ice wall that was now crumbling as the massive machine rose. 

"Easy, easy now." She shouted.

The tallneck had one thing on its mind and that was finding it's feet once more. It groaned in protest as the ice tried to keep it grounded. Aloy ran as quickly as she could, slipping on the ice and almost flying off the edge if she hadn't caught herself in good time. 

"Why can't things ever be simple," she huffed.

At last the tallneck broke free of its icy prison and was now up on its feet. Large metal hooves hit the snow, sending little shock waved as it went.

"I appreciate the thanks," Aloy frowned, brushing snow from her clothes.

The tallneck did it's rounds as programed, Aloy now thinking nothing of it climbed upon her charger and was just about to head off when three scorchers jumped out of nowhere and circled her.

"Just what I need," she sighed, reaching for her bow.

The sounds of the tallneck grew louder as it carried on its programmed route, only this time Aloy could feel it drawing closer to her. The shock waves of huge hooves shook her. She turned just in time to duck as one foot came crashing down on one of the scorchers. The other two turned to look at the giant of a machine, clearly wondering what had just happened.

"That was unexpected," Aloy thought amused, but still unsure.

She pulled on the tendrils of the charger, urging it away as to not get them both crushed. Stepping back and watching things unfold was like nothing she'd ever witnessed before in her life. Two scorchers were trying to take on the largest of all machines and failing quite badly.

"Go tallneck," Aloy cheered, watching as the very last scorcher was completely crushed under one metal hoof.

The tallneck then started on its set path again. Aloy would never forget what had happened here today and apparently, neither would the tallneck.

xXx

Many times Aloy came back to see her friend, and many times had the tallneck watched her back again. It had also lowered itself to lay upon the snow as if resting. Aloy thought it was comical at first glance, how a large machine such as the tallneck looked quite cute in a way.


End file.
